Church of the Mikado
The Church of the Mikado (also, the Cult of the Mikado) is the faith practice of those who venerate the Mikado. Many of the early founders of the Empire began to revere the Mikado as a deity, the first among them being Mardonius, the former chief of the Iinrese and the Mikado's foremost lieutenant. The religion dominated the early Empire, as many (if not all) of the Iinrese converted. The religion is still considered synonymous with the Empire, though that association is fading as non-Mikadoan religions and agnosticism gain acceptance throughout the Empire. Beliefs The central belief to the Mikadoan religion is that the Mikado, the legendary first ruler of the Empire, is the foremost, or only, deity. Practices The core activities of the religion are to honor the Mikado and await his return. Weekly Meetings During the early days of the church, the faithful of the Mikadoan Cult began meeting weekly (though exact days and times differ from region to region). These meetings were times of reflection on and remembrance of the Mikado, exhortation to follow his will, and excitement for his promised return. Today, these three elements constitute the primary parts of The Mikado's Celebration practiced throughout the Empire and beyond. Organization Leadership The Church of the Mikado is led by the Patriarch, or Church Father (the name here refers to a clan leader). The responsibility of the Patriarch is to lead and guide the faithful. The Council of Provosts, a group of ten high clerics, chose the Patriarch, who will hold the position for life, though they have some limited ability to recall him. Colleges Between 150-300 MA, the Church instituted a number of colleges (often both collegial groups in the classical sense of college as well as educational institutions in the modern sense) as the religion developed organizationally in the early centuries of the Empire. College of Lawyers The first and foremost is the College of Lawyers, which concerns both religious canon law and theory as well as Imperial constitutional law, though these have separated somewhat in recent times. Constitutional Law (sometimes referred to as Establishmentary Law) refers specifically to the 10 Rules, and more generally to the addenda that accompany the translation, interpretation, and execution of the 10 Rules. The College of Lawyers maintains the oldest educational institution in the Empire, the Law Seminary, which graduates the vast majority of lawyers, legates, members of national councils, and members of the Empire's Mikado's Inner Council. College of Theology The largest college within the Mikado's Cult, the College of Theology was formed after the crisis of the Apostate Mikado in 190 MA. Administration Sacred Texts The Books of the Mikado The Books of the Mikado is a compilation of seven works by various authors, most of which were written in the first century of the Empire. The Book is considered to be divine. Other Texts The Mikadoan religion has a number of important, sacred texts alongside the Books, though these others are not considered divine. Holy Days The Mikadoan religion has two universal holy days: Advent of the Mikado and Sojourn/Occultation/Disappearance of the Mikado. Advent of the Mikado: This day marks when the Mikado is believed to have appeared to Mardonius Sojourn/Occultation/Disappearnace of the Mikado:' '''This day marks the day the faithful believe the Mikado left the White Spire to his own land, promising to return soon. The celebration looks forward to the Mikado's imminent return, the Re-advent. Saints and Canonization A saint of the Mikadoan Church is one who displays an extremely high degree of the Mikado's flin, or aura. Saints are recognized by the church through the process of canonization, during which evidence of an individual's Mikadoan essence is reviewed and debated, often in comparison with the stories of the early church fathers (nearly all of whom are considered saints) contained in the sacred book Examples''. List of saints * St. Mardonius (often simply Mardonius) * St. Bendelldean * St. Therobald Mystics A mystic is one who practices a life of contemplation and dedicated service as their path to service to the Mikado. The mystical community within the Church has existed from its very beginning when Mardonius number of mystical orders operate under the Church's approval. They are organized by purpose and communality. The difference types are martial orders, mendicant and servial orders, and cenobitic orders. List of Monastic OrdersCategory:Religions